Wednesday, June 9, 2010

ZWEISIMMEN - HOUSES

My trip to Zweisimmen continued...

After our wonderful picnic in the cemetery, we thought that it would be a good idea to go for a walk around the place. So, we went back down into the village and headed toward the two Simme (Little Simme & Simme) rivers (hence the name Zweisimmen = two Simme).

Walking through Zweisimmen, one discovers many beautiful old (sometimes 150 years old or more) traditional Bernese Oberland chalets. With their imposing size, harmonious lines, dark weatherworn timber wood, pretty paintings (not all of them have paintings) and gorgeous carvings, they are real eye-catchers. Such awesome houses situated in a dreamlike environment offer an even more picture perfect vision!

Zweisimmen is an wonderful place for a family or couple holiday anytime of the year. It is the ideal location to explore the countryside, to go for long walks all around the region and to relax. This place is so quiet, the air is pure, the people are very charming and the landscapes are simply mindblowing. You can't ask for more.

As a child, I have spent many many summers and autums in Zweisimmen. We always stayed in an rustic chalet owned by two cattle farmers. We lived in the very minimalist yet cosy 3 room appartment on the second floor (see third picture/the chalet on the side of the hill). I really loved the veranda with the unobstucted view on the Rinderberg mountain, the atmospheric dimlit rooms, the creaking floors, the soothing sound of cowbells and of the fountain as well as the exhalirating smell of the fresh mountain air. Great memories.